9 comments:

I was thinking about this very idea this morning on my way to work before I read your post. In theory it sounds like a great idea. But it is not without problems.

1. How are the Top 32 teams picked? Is it the current NCAA selection committee? Its probably tough to differentiate between teams 30-35 and I'd be ticked to be team #33 and be forced to play 4 extra games while team #32 is on spring break for a week waiting to find out who they play.2. What happens to the NIT? Does it just disappear? I doubt NIT organizers would just go away quietly.3. Conferences surely make bank on the tourneys. They will never sacrifice the almighty dollar to make the NCAA more "fair".

I like the idea, but your math is off. A starting pool of 308 would be reduced to 38.5 teams after four rounds, not 32. Your pool would need to start at 256 teams to get to 32 teams after four rounds. Your plan gives teams who have a solid regular season a reward, not just those that might get hot in or around tournament time. It also ends the inevitable whining from those teams that are left out of the tournament because their weak regular season results (and not some surprise "upset" in a conference tournament) leaves them on the outside looking in.

i like this idea a lot. being a student at a small D1 school, its frustrating seldom getting into the spotlight. year in and year out its a struggle to simply advance in our conference tournament, let alone get to the big dance. i am all for it!

So you're going to put together the same system we already have (everybody has a chance to make it to the final 64), except make it more confusing and less regionalized, and eliminate any possible rivalry games or games where the students might actually be able to watch the game. Brilliant.

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DanShanoff.com is a sports-blog spin-off of my long-time ESPN.com column, "The Daily Quickie." Anchored by an early-morning post of must-know topics, the blog is updated frequently throughout the day with new posts and user comments.